Obituary of Phyllis Romak

Phyllis Romak 

What a woman!   Phyllis had it all - love for everyone whether she knew them or not, curiosity, a great sense of humour, peace, tenacity, resiliency, wisdom, tirelessness and generosity.  Phyllis volunteered for years at the St John’s church kitchen.  Waking up at 4:30 am was no problem for her.  She would cheer people up in the grocery line if she felt they were low - the list goes on.   This doesn’t even start to touch on her excellence as a wife, mother of 6 fantastic children, grandmother to 15 and great grandmother to 17.  Try to achieve that in your 101 years!

Phyllis Romak (nee Lastewka) was born in Probizhna, Ukraine on February 23rd 1924.   The political environment was volatile to say the least.  Her father Michael Lastewka was already in the U.S. so her mother, Pauline, Phyllis and her 2 sisters, Emilia and Mary took the proverbially “boat” to Canada.  In Canada they would stay.   Two additional sibling came along : Jerry and Walter.  

Phyllis married John Romak on September 11th, 1945, working hard on their farm and even harder on their 6 children:  John Jr (Linda), Patt (Gord), Greg, Jo-Anne (Kevin), Michele (Brian) and Marianne (TBD).   

Phyllis is predeceased by husband John Sr. (2018), son Greg (2015) and grandson Derek (2015).  In true Phyllis form she kept trucking along as the matriarch of this large family.  

Thank you to all of the fantastic caregivers who assisted in caring for Phyllis.  In particular Leny, LA, Lea, Luz and The St. Catharines Hospital’s dialysis Unit.  We don’t know what we would have done without your wonderful care and love. 

The family will receive friends at the George Darte Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 585 Carlton St 905-937-4444 on Thursday April 24th from 3- 7 pm.  Panachyda (Traditional Ukrainian Funeral Blessing) at 4:30pm

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday April 25th 11 at 11am   St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 91 Lakeshore Road. Interment Victoria Lawn Cemtery.  A luncheon will follow back at St. John's Ukrainian Church. Everyone is welcome to wear a Ukrainian blouse or shirt.

If you would like to make a donation in Phyllis’s name, please consider giving to the Ukrainian War Relief Fund at St. John’s Church or The Dialysis Unit at the St. Catharines Hospital.  Contributions can be made at The George Darte Funeral Home.